Hostal Chikiyan — Hotel in San José de Maipo

Arriving at Chikiyan in the late golden afternoon (by bus from Santiago; make sure the driver remembers to let you off at Paradero 26!) was a bit like walking into a dream. The Hostal, with its recycled wood and stained glass, is set right into an Ande and takes full and breathtaking advantage of this glorious fact. ||||We had a room with a view, and then some; literally on top of a forest and with a snow-tipped mountain in our face while lying in our cozy bed. Great bathroom has a deep tub with Jacuzzi tendencies.||||The main casa is seductive, especially the top floor with its kitchen (I sorely regret not having cooked there) and dining area with 360-degree views, where we ate the most delicious, fresh, locally-sourced, lovingly prepared breakfast ever, rustled up by the warm and wonderfully-humored owner, Nadia, who also dished out wonderful advice (such as how to hitchhike to the Monumento Natural El Morado and the Baños Morales – a great way to swap tales with Chilean truckdrivers!) ||||The Hostal is actually 5km from the town of San José del Maipo; an avalanche of buses pass by at regular intervals from the nearby highway. Otherwise, you can walk 20 minutes to Antiguo Sueño, an enchantingly otherworldly restaurant with delicious artisanal pizzas and local craft beer. ||||We stayed two nights (a good minimum) and left with extreme reluctance, especially since Nadia kindly urged us to check out as late as we wanted in order to take full advantage of the "embrace" of...

We loved our stay with Nina and staff! Never before did we meet such warm and friendly hosts. The breakfast and relax room with 360 degrees view of the mountains was a perfect place to relax. We went by car to a.o. nearby banos morales, the lake (yeso) and Pirque. Spectacular mountain trips (with condors near yeso lake). There were also plenty of swimming pools in the area to cool down after a hot day. Breakfast was lovely and Nina and staff helped out with tips for trips and even laundry. We felt very much at home. Also with the friendly pets around. If we ever come back to Chile, Chikiyan will be on our list. Muchas gracias y un...

If you are tired of the city, Cajon del Maipo is the perfect escape. Hostal Chikiyan can be easily reached by public transport (check the house numbers to know where you have to get off). There aren't shops close by, so bring your own food. Kitchen is well-equipped. Staff is really friendly. I got my own dorm, a welcome lunch, information about hikes in the neighborhood and a drive back to Santiago. Beautiful views from each terrace and the breakfast room. Breakfast was delicious too. If you are traveling on a budget, it might be a bit expensive, but it is...